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Published on 08/07/1995 All articles from this issue

Marine relates stories from Guadalcanal, Peleliu island

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By Dom Garofano

I am writing about some of my military experiences in 40s and World War II.

I was one of those who enlisted in the services before the entrance of the United States into World War II. This prewar servicemen cadre provided training and experience for the civilians who followed Pearl Harbor.

I enlisted in the U.S. Marines on March 4, 1940. I was only 17 years ol,d and had to lie about my age. At that time the enlisted strength of the Marine Corps. was said to be only 18,000 men.

There are a few things to be said about the 40s before W.W. II and the draft. First, most dates would ask that you not wear a uniform when calling for them at home. At that time Servicemen were not viewed in the best of light. Also, for example many civilians did not know that the U.S. Marines wore Forest Green winter uniforms. I had people come up to me and ask if I were in the Canadian armed forces. All this changed after Pearl Harbor and Wake Island. After the stand of the U.S. Marines on Wake Island, it was impossible to buy a drink in any club or bar.

During my duty at the Philadelphia Navy Yard before the start of the way, we had a man turn himself into the Main gate guards. Speaking in German, he claimed he was a German U boat captain who had escaped from a prisoner of war camp in Canada.

For three days, during which he was blindfolded and isolated, he was driven to and from Naval intelligence to the brig. Using guards armed with "Tommy Guns" on the running boards of the car. Our commanding officer was delighted with the attention this prisoner brought,. Our commander was dismayed when it was found that the prisoner had escaped from a mental institute and could speak perfect English. He was in no way a German U Boat Captain.

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor I was still stationed at ttie Philadelphia Navy Yard in a guard company. Soon after December 7, 1941 we turned our guard duties over to civilians and I was soon in the South Pacific theater of operations. I was in "L" company, Seventh Marine Infantry Regiment, First Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force.

We shipped out to the South Pacific region in the spring of 1942. After we arrived in American Somoa, the First Marine division was given the task of retaking Guadalcanal and other smaller Islands in the Solomon Island group. Because our ships were not "Combat loaded" the task of unloading and reloading our ships correctly for the upcoming combat fell to us Marines. We worked around the clock 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to finish the task in time to support the landing on Guadalcanal.

The First Marine Division assault landing on Guadalcanal was the first offensive operation of the United States Armed forces in World War II.

On Giiadalcanal our problems were more than just the enemy. We did not have superiority of the Seas and Air. While we were still unloading, after the landing, our Navy had to take off and we were left behind without most of our supplies and equipment.

We had few medical supplies, food rations were limited to at the most twice daily. When we were fighting it was not unusual to have only one food ration a day. Most everyone suffered from malaria and other tropical diseases. We were happy when we could find food rations in the packs of dead Japanese soldiers or in captured Japanese food dumps,

It was discouraging to sit on a hill over looking the bay and watch the i-,roop transports unloading thousands of Japanese troops. While Zeros flew over head providing air coverage for the landing. That was one of the many times I found myself asking " What did yoti get yourself into now?" At that time I was 19 years old.

On o(ir last days on Guadalcanal we visited the cemetery to decorate the graves of our fallen comrades, that's when I found my grave. Some dead marine was identified as me and so buried. For the next 3 years I was meeting old buddies who thought I was dead.

After we were relieved by the U.S. Army we were sent to Melbourne, Australia to rest and retrain. After 9 wonderful months in Akistralia we shipped out to New Guinea.

In [latipa, New Guinea we staged and trained for the next landing on Cape Gloucester. Cape Gloucester was on the Island of New Britain. 'I'he Japanese had the bay well fortified but we out flanked them when we landed in the swamps to their rear.

On Cape Gloucester we saw much more fighting than we had ori Guadalcatial,. Before we secured the Cape by taking hill 660 it rained every day, When we came off the front lines it was easy to spot a replacement Marine, they were tanned while we were pale from fightirig in the heavy jungles without any sun.

After a brief rest we were assigned to a patrol marching over a volcario to the other side of the Island in pursuit of the retreating Japanese Army. We were lead by the famous, General "Chesty" Puller then a Lt. Colonel. We marched across the Island and joined with a U.S. Army outfit who sailed up the Natamo river we never caught the enemy we were pursuing. We were kept supplied from air drops that usually were dropped miles from our camp, away in the jungle.

Our next landing was on Peleliu in the Palau Islands. This was the fiercest fighting I ever saw. We landed under direct enemy fire. There were so many Amphibian tractors sunk during the lan(iing that the remaining tank drivers would only take us to the end of the coral reef. We had to wade in under fire. During the landing our Lieutenant was wounded and I had to take over command of our platoon on the beach.

The island was honeycombed with caves and tunnels. We had just as many enemy soldiers behind our lines than were in front of us. Many of our units suffered more than 50% gunshot wounds.

After Peleliu, along with 3,000 other Division NCO'S, I was ordered home for rotation. As we were leaving we were called into our Company Commander's tent and offered 2nd. lieutenant battle field commissions. Of the 25 NCO's in our company no one took the offer. Along with the commission was the condition of staying overseas for another 24 months. During the battle of Peleliu we twice lost a complete coml)lement of company officers who were killed or wounded. Of all our Pl.at,oon leaders, who were Second Lieutenants, the casualty rate was 400 %. This is why no NCO wanted to be a Second Lieutenant iti c@ombat.

After a 30 day leave at home I was transferred to the Recruit Depot, @tt Parris Island. There as a Drill Instructor T was assured 9 morittis duty before returning to the Fleet Marine Force overseas.

I reported to Parris Island January Ist. 1945 and on September 26, 1945 1 was discharged from the United States Marines, 3 months before my 22nd birthday.